Welcome to Self Care Chica's Blog

In Thailand, whenever someone was visibly flustered or in a hurry, they would say “Cha Cha…”  No, this is not a new crazily hip dance move–it means “Slowly slowly…”  I find myself repeating “cha cha” to myself several times a day:  in traffic, at the grocery store, waiting for the train. People may look at you a little strangely, but who wants to be normal anyway?

I have definitely been in need of  “Cha Cha–ing” it lately. My fabulous cousin was married in Vegas last week, and this week a great friend left to study in South Africa. Then there is work, meeting with friends, and before you know it finding time for yourself gets a lot more difficult.

So, this idea of taking your time, of being mindful can sometimes be mistakenly classified as laziness in our fast paced society.  But, if you find how to shift yourself into a lower gear great things can happen.  Suddenly you hear what people are really saying, what they mean– colors seem brighter, work becomes easier, people start to notice your peacefulness and are drawn to it because it is also what they crave in their own lives.

When thinking about what my project would be this week I had to incorporate this idea of taking time; of mindfulness and how that works for someone who has a busy schedule.

So, the project this week is creating your own ‘still point inducer.’  Yes, it is an odd name, and even odder looking. My husband made a lot of colorful jokes that, if you know David, well…

Still Point Inducer

What is a still point inducer, you ask?

Okay, stay with me:  Craniosacral Therapy (aka Cranial Sacral or CST) is a type of bodywork that is based on the theory that the sutures connecting all of the different bones in your skull are slightly pliable. In fact, the dude who invented this method (William Sutherland, DO)
hypothesized that the skull “breathes” in the same way your lungs do, but instead of air the skull’s respiration is caused by the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. Of course this respiration is much slower and slight than the lungs–you cannot see it, but with training can learn to feel it through your hands. In the same way that other bodywork therapies like Thai Massage and Trigger Point Therapy use compression to flush out stagnate blood and provide a surge of fresh oxygenated blood to an area of pain or injury, Craniosacral Therapy temporarily quiets the skull’s respiration to allow in fresh cerebrospinal fluid.

ENTER:  The Still Point Inducer

Getting a session with a professional Craniosacral Therapist is of course ideal. However, you can mimic a very basic CST hold on your own. This calms the respiration of the skull, and has been associated with relief from migraine headaches, arthritic conditions of the spine, fevers, and just general benefits of lowering stress levels.

WHAT you will need:

Cat Optional

Well, you could buy a still point inducer. But you really don’t need to–just grab a sock and two tennis balls. Put both of the tennis balls into the sock so that they are touching and tie a knot in the sock so the tennis balls do not have any room to move around. DONE! Make sure you use tennis balls, though–they are the right size and have just enough give to be comfortable. Also, one note:  Too much of a good thing is still too much: only use the still point inducer for about ten minutes at a time. Also, this self care technique is not for you if you have high blood pressure. Your skull has to breathe and that is just enough time to rest it. I usually set an alarm on my phone in case I fall asleep.

This is when David starts laughing hysterically…

WHERE?

Feel the back of your skull. You should feel two boney bumps on either side of where your spine inserts into your skull. Right ABOVE those bumps is where to place the still point inducer. The tendency is to place it too low. Here is a website with a really great image about half way down the webpage of where to place it.

Ideally, you want to place it on a hard surface. The floor works best. I find it helpful to scoot up to the sofa and let my legs rest; that way it is easy to totally relax. Also, it is small enough to fit in a drawer or back pack and is great to use while traveling or at lunch if you are lucky enough to have an office door. I say do it even if you have a cubical, but be prepared for some good old fashioned jeering from your fellow office mates…that is until they try it, and then feel like total heels.

Note: It will give you a very sexy double chin.

Make sure your legs are bent at about 90 degrees, and your tush is up against the sofa.

STUDIES

Enjoy! If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email.

, Sarah